Episode 306: The Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon
Namgung Myung feigned ignorance as he replied.
“Hong Gyeon? Ah, hmm! You must be talking about that prodigy from the Beggars’ Sect.”
“Yes. He’s the most talked-about participant in this martial arts tournament, so I assumed you’d know.”
“Of course, I know. Is he your next opponent?”
“No, not yet. But I have a feeling we’ll cross paths in the tournament, so I wanted to get some advice in advance.”
“Don’t worry too much. Hong Gyeon is improving at a frightening pace… Hmm, yes, he’s improving, but your skills are still superior.”
This was based on the martial prowess Hong Gyeon had shown so far.
Most people would find comfort in such positive prospects, but Namgung Hyun was cautious, almost to the point of being overly so.
“Those who lost to Hong Gyeon probably thought the same when they stepped into the arena.”
”···.”
Namgung Hyun’s demeanor was serious. He wasn’t looking for light reassurance; he genuinely needed a strategy to defeat Hong Gyeon.
This put Namgung Myung in a difficult position. It felt like he had to choose between his cousin and his friend.
But Namgung Myung’s heart leaned towards Hong Gyeon.
A distant cousin he hadn’t seen in years couldn’t compare to the camaraderie he shared with Hong Gyeon over the past few years. Sometimes, bonds forged through shared experiences are stronger than blood.
As he pondered, Namgung Myung realized something crucial.
’…Wait. There’s no need to worry, is there?’
He had overlooked an important fact: the skill gap between Namgung Hyun and Hong Gyeon was significant.
No matter what advice Namgung Myung gave, Hong Gyeon would ultimately be the victor.
Even if Namgung Hyun managed to land a hit, it would be nothing short of a miracle.
Moreover, even if Hong Gyeon did get hit, he wouldn’t hold it against Namgung Myung. Hong Gyeon was naturally quite magnanimous.
Yes, it was perfectly fine to offer his cousin some advice.
Namgung Myung felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
“I’m not sure how much time we have, but I’ll do my best to help you. After all, we’re both from the Namgung family, and we’re family.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Namgung Hyun seemed genuinely moved, as if he hadn’t expected Namgung Myung to step up so readily.
Namgung Myung smiled and said, “But remember, victory is just a byproduct of the martial path, not the goal.”
“Excuse me?”
“Winning is great, but even if you lose, your efforts aren’t in vain.”
He made sure to prepare Namgung Hyun for the possibility of defeat.
Two days later, Hong Gyeon arrived at the arena, having changed his appearance with a disguise technique.
He hadn’t bothered to remember his opponent’s name. It wasn’t important.
As Hong Gyeon warmed up and waited, a woman approached with a small tray. On it were some simple, appetizing snacks and tea.
“Master Hong Gyeon, I wish you success in today’s match.”
“Ah, yes.”
As Hong Gyeon accepted the tray, the woman bowed and quickly left.
Hong Gyeon smiled contentedly.
‘Looks like only the best are left, and they’re even bringing snacks now?’
He wasn’t one to refuse food or question small gestures.
So, he ate the snacks. They were sweet and delicious.
But after drinking the tea, he felt something strange. A tingling sensation spread through his stomach.
‘Poison?’
On second thought, the very act of offering food before a fierce battle seemed odd. Who provides snacks right before a fight?
Just then, the announcer’s voice echoed from afar.
“Now, let the contestants enter!”
Hong Gyeon scratched his head for a moment, then set the tray down and entered the arena.
The crowd enthusiastically chanted Hong Gyeon’s name.
“The Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon! The Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon!”
“I’ve bet everything on you today!”
Hong Gyeon’s popularity among gamblers had skyrocketed. He had caused them significant losses, but also helped them recover.
It was as if they had tasted the depths of despair and then returned to the surface, guided by Hong Gyeon.
Naturally, they cheered for him.
Of course, there were more gamblers who had lost everything betting against him.
But those who had lost it all didn’t come to the tournament and couldn’t voice their anger at Hong Gyeon.
In any case, the remaining gamblers at the tournament were mostly fervent supporters of Hong Gyeon.
The downside was that the odds on Hong Gyeon’s victory had dropped significantly.
The announcer introduced the two contestants.
“The participant at the center of attention, Hong Gyeon from Jueul Village!”
“His opponent, a man who performed well in the last tournament, Oh Jung-hup from the White Dragon Sword Sect!”
Oh Jung-hup stared intently at Hong Gyeon’s face, then smirked.
That smile alone revealed who was behind the poison in the tea.
‘So it was him.’
The announcer finished introducing the contestants and shouted.
“Let the match begin!”
Oh Jung-hup, confident in his victory, charged at Hong Gyeon with ferocity.
Hong Gyeon suppressed the poison spreading in his stomach and deftly deflected Oh Jung-hup’s wrist and arm.
“Hmm, you’re holding up well!”
But Oh Jung-hup didn’t care that his attacks were blocked and continued to assault Hong Gyeon with even more ferocity.
His swordplay wasn’t meant to inflict fatal wounds but to force Hong Gyeon into constant movement.
The more he moved, the faster the poison would spread.
Oh Jung-hup whispered, “You must be feeling your limbs weaken. Surrender now, and you won’t get hurt.”
“What kind of poison was it?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not life-threatening. Just surrender.”
Hong Gyeon chuckled.
Most would be troubled by the poison spreading from their stomach, but not Hong Gyeon.
He hadn’t mastered poison techniques.
But traveling with Tang Mujin had exposed him to poison countless times. How many times had Tang Mujin released poison into the air during battles?
It wasn’t just during fights. Tang Mujin had even released poison near Hong Gyeon’s nose because he snored loudly.
In short, Hong Gyeon was well-versed in expelling poison.
Moreover, the poison in the tea was child’s play compared to Tang Mujin’s.
The method of poisoning was amateurish at best.
The poison didn’t mix with his blood to circulate through his body, nor did it fill his lungs with a thick miasma.
It was merely ingested through a drink.
Oh Jung-hup’s mistake was simple.
He underestimated Hong Gyeon’s resistance to poison based on his own standards.
Ssshhh-
Hong Gyeon shook off Oh Jung-hup and took a deep breath.
The poison that had been spreading subtly reversed course and gathered in his stomach.
Then, mixed with stomach acid, it rose up Hong Gyeon’s throat.
Haaack- Spit.
Hong Gyeon spat on the ground.
The spit wasn’t clear but had a bluish tint.
Seeing the color of the spit, Oh Jung-hup’s face turned pale. To gather and expel poison so easily was not something an ordinary martial artist could do.
However, Hong Gyeon didn’t immediately press his advantage. Instead, he seemed to retreat, as if cornered, while scanning the surroundings. He spotted a crude wooden stick lying at the edge of the arena.
‘That’ll do.’
Hong Gyeon pushed Oh Jung-hup away with a palm technique, picked up the stick, and half-closed his eyes.
What followed was a subtle shift in his movements, from sluggish and fluid to something entirely different.
The audience erupted, standing and shouting in excitement.
“Hong Gyeon’s aura has changed!”
“Why did he pick up a stick? Wasn’t he only trained in fist techniques?”
“Maybe he had another epiphany! This time, it’s staff techniques!”
“Of course, the Beggars’ Sect is all about staff techniques!”
To martial artists, having daily epiphanies seemed natural.
It sounded absurd to anyone else.
But when it came to the Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon, it somehow made sense.
For someone who reached the pinnacle of martial arts in just three days, picking up a stick and mastering staff techniques seemed plausible.
Oh Jung-hup trembled in fear. He saw himself in the faces of those who had fallen before Hong Gyeon.
Hong Gyeon raised his hands, showing Oh Jung-hup. In his right hand was the wooden stick, and his left was empty.
“I’ll give you a choice. Left or right?”
Oh Jung-hup hesitated for a moment, then chose Hong Gyeon’s left hand.
“Smart choice.”
After three exchanges, Hong Gyeon’s left fist struck Oh Jung-hup’s celestial acupoint.
“The Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon! The Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon!”
The crowd’s cheers filled the arena.
Hong Geolge’s next opponent couldn’t handle the pressure and withdrew from the match. Rumor had it that this was the same person who had lost to Oh Jung-heup in the last martial arts tournament.
With that, “Hong Geon” was guaranteed a spot in the finals, allowing Tang Mujin and his companions to watch Namgung Hyun’s match at their leisure.
Namgung Hyun’s opponent was Eon Baek-gon from the Jinju Eon family, the man who had asked them if they were participating in the tournament when they first arrived in Wuchang.
Eon Baek-gon had made it to the semifinals with his powerful build and robust fighting style, but his skills were no match for Namgung Hyun.
However, Namgung Hyun didn’t rush. He slowly and methodically widened the gap between them, his swordplay reminiscent more of Hyun Gong than Namgung Myung.
Tang Mujin spoke up.
“Namgung Myung.”
“What?”
“Isn’t Mount Cheonju, where the Namgung family is based, not too far from Wuchang? Why is Namgung Hyun the only one participating in the tournament?”
The martial prowess of the Namgung family is generally quite high.
There was no rule limiting one participant per family, so if they wanted, several of the Namgung family’s younger generation could easily take top spots.
But Namgung Myung gave an unexpected answer.
“It’s actually unusual for even one of us to participate.”
“Huh?”
“Namgung family members rarely enter these tournaments. Winning might bring some joy, but the losses from not winning are too great.”
“What’s there to lose? Even if you don’t win, isn’t it beneficial to gain some experience?”
“No. It’s about the Namgung family’s reputation.”
Namgung Hyun was steadily pushing Eon Baek-gon to secure his victory.
“The Namgung family prides itself on being the best sword clan. As you said, winning the tournament wouldn’t be difficult. But that’s precisely the problem.”
“What problem?”
“Winning is just breaking even. Not winning is a disaster. If the Namgung family wins, people see it as expected. But if they don’t, it’s perceived as ‘the Namgung family has been defeated.’”
Hong Geolge recalled the moment he saw Namgung Hyun at the registration desk. As soon as Namgung Hyun appeared, people parted to make way for him.
Other participants, slightly disappointed, adjusted their goals to aim for second place, as if it were a given that the Namgung family would win.
“The Namgung family must always remain a step above others. By not participating, outsiders realize that even winning the tournament doesn’t challenge the Namgung family’s supremacy.”
Hong Geolge asked Namgung Myung, “Then why is Namgung Hyun participating?”
“I have my suspicions…”
Namgung Myung trailed off, prompting Hong Geolge to grumble.
“If you have an idea, just say it. Don’t leave me hanging.”
“It’s nothing important.”
Namgung Myung saw Hong Geolge as someone generous and understanding of others’ situations, often stepping back for others without a second thought.
Even in this tournament, Hong Geolge had considered not participating because he thought his skills were too exceptional.
If Namgung Myung explained Namgung Hyun’s situation in detail, soft-hearted Hong Geolge might withdraw or intentionally lose to Namgung Hyun.
Tang Mujin, Namgung Myung, and Hyun Gong all hoped Hong Geolge would seize this chance to shine.
They had subtly maneuvered him into participating alone for this reason.
Recently, Hong Geolge seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, so it seemed their plan was working well.
Namgung Myung told Hong Geolge, “For a warrior of the Namgung family, who walks the path of a king, a defeat earned through full effort is more honorable than a victory gained through sympathy. I’ll tell you the rest later, so go ahead and defeat Namgung Hyun decisively.”
As expected, Hong Geolge hesitated.
”…There won’t be any problems, right?”
“Nothing like that. It’s just a matter of pride. Even if your opponent has circumstances, that’s not for you to consider. If desperation alone could win a tournament, would it even be a tournament?”
“Is that so?”
Only then did Hong Geolge nod in relief.